Twins face Royals on Aug 8 after trading Correa & Duran. Amid a fire-sale and ownership change, can Byron Buxton's loyalty rally a team in turmoil?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
There's a game at Target Field tonight, but for thousands of Twins fans, it feels secondary. As the team prepares to host the Kansas City Royals, the air is thick with the fallout from a trade deadline that saw the franchise jettison stars, slash payroll, and seemingly wave a white flag on the season. This isn't just a team in transition; it's a team in turmoil, playing under the long shadow of an impending ownership sale.
It was a bloodbath. I feel for the fans.
The shockwaves are still reverberating from the front office's 'fire-sale.' Trading away cornerstone players like shortstop Carlos Correa to the Astros and flamethrowing closer Jhoan Duran to the Phillies sent a clear message: this was about money. The moves, particularly the Correa salary dump, are widely seen as a way to make the team's financials more attractive for a potential new owner as the Pohlad family moves toward a sale. While GM Derek Falvey emailed season ticket holders defending the long-term vision, the immediate fan and media reaction has been overwhelmingly critical, with former players like Trevor Plouffe voicing the frustration felt by many.
Amid the chaos of departures, one star reaffirmed his commitment in the strongest possible terms. Byron Buxton, who holds a full no-trade clause, shut down any speculation about his future. 'This is home,' Buxton stated, 'I'll be a Twin for life.' For a fanbase reeling from the loss of its other stars, Buxton's loyalty is a desperately needed anchor. With 23 home runs and a .282 average, he remains the centerpiece of whatever this team is building toward, a lone veteran star in a sea of new faces.
The direct result of the sell-off is a youth movement, by necessity if not by grand design. The brightest spot is the activation of second baseman Luke Keaschall from the 60-day IL. After a hot start was derailed by a fractured forearm, Keaschall is back following a solid rehab assignment with the St. Paul Saints. He's joined by a wave of call-ups, including Edouard Julien, Austin Martin, Alan Roden, Ryan Fitzgerald, Travis Adams, and Pierson Ohl. The bullpen also gets new arms in Thomas Hatch and Brooks Kriske, as the front office scrambles to fill the holes left by the deadline exodus.
Despite the off-field drama, the games continue. Tonight, the 54-60 Twins host the 57-58 Kansas City Royals. Joe Ryan gets the start for Minnesota, tasked with steadying the ship against Royals' righty Seth Lugo. The Twins enter as slight underdogs (+102), a reflection of their dismantled roster. For fans tuning in on Twins.TV, it will be a chance to get a first look at the team's new configuration and see how the young players respond to their sudden big-league opportunity.
Tonight's game against the Royals marks the beginning of a strange new era for the Minnesota Twins. The rest of 2025 won't be about a playoff push, but about evaluation. It's a chance to see if Keaschall can stick, if Julien and Martin are everyday players, and if Joe Ryan and Byron Buxton can lead this young clubhouse. But the bigger question remains unanswered: Who will own this team next year, and what will their vision for the future be? For now, all fans can do is watch and wait.
